La Déesse de la Nuit
by Ziven
Summary: Costumes can only hide so much -Seto x Kisara- done for the YGO fanfiction contest


This is my entry for the Yu-gi-oh Fanfiction Contest. The pairing is Mizushipping, also known as Priest Set x Kisara. I've put a bit of a spin on mine, which is explained a bit more down below, so stay tuned if you want to know the mind behind the madness...

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_**La Déesse de la Nuit**_

The moon hung as a talisman around the neck of the sky, offering light that danced upon the water of the lake that lay before him. The estate was a bountiful, displaying a cultured collection of flora sprawling in all directions away from the body of water. A slender frame surveyed the obvious display of wealth with a small smile, a glass in his left hand filled with water-the-servers-were-passing-around. The dark liquid gave off a pungent scent, and when the man could resist it no longer his lips embraced the glass for a taste. He was left wanting even after the two forces parted, but he would not risk taking in his drink like a common layman simply to satisfy his tongue—he would sip again in a few moments and maintain his dignity.

"Seth!" The outcry disturbed his silence but was not unwelcome. A man almost as tall as himself with the same slender build approached the form on the balcony, the hum of voices from inside the structure behind them providing a backdrop that made it appear as though the youth walking toward him was running away from the party.

_Though silent_, _I've done the very same. _"Is my presence required inside?" Seth asked. "Or did you venture here to delight with your brother?"

"She's here."

Seth's features brightened immediately, and he simultaneously handed his sibling his glass of wine—thirst forgotten—as fingers adjusted his robes. "How do I look, Matthieu?"

"How do we all look?" he answered. "Like drunken bastards at a costume party. Who chose this theme?"

"…someone on the counsel we must impress," Seth replied, hands reaching for the collar of a suit that was not being worn on his person. He gritted his teeth. It was easier to feel high-and-mighty when a man could assert authority over his own suit jacket.

"We don't need to prattle on in front of these…aristocrats, with their parties and dances and shows where they watch those with aspirations adore them. We are _not_ peasants!"

Seth's eyes narrowed. "Yet we're here. We must participate. You will live, Matthieu."

"I don't see why we don't simply live by what we have, Seth! You can't hide what we have forever…"

"I've explained this to you, Matt—I am keeping low. I would love to put my name on the map—but I'll do it when I'm ready."

"…yes, big brother."

Seth held his chin high. "Accompany me," he said, making his way inside.

The world became as molten gold, as though the reason for the night outside was for the sun being kept prisoner in this place—several chandeliers were casting light into the room as crowds of attendees moved about in the large mansion, all dressed in robes similar to that of the two brothers'. The garbs were mostly white in color, with the exceptions of a few wayward individuals doing something bold with their fashions. The party's host, a robust man named Gainsley, was wearing a robe made a royal violet hue; unfortunately, the man was so large it appeared as more of a toga from Italy than anything that could be considered inspired by the Lordly Pharaohs of Egypt. Seth tried not to sneer over the fact that the man didn't deserve the wealth that he'd been born into. But soon the room quieted and men halted in their places. Seth's ears followed the gasps and whispers about the new arrival to the festivities before joining them. "Woah," Matthieu had the inopportune grace to say.

Lady Sara was looking lovely as usual—but her white hair and blue eyes were accented by a skillfully made dress that looked as though it had been spun from the desert sands themselves. The golden light in the room only served to make the clinging fabric shine even more. Seth couldn't help gazing upon Sara's body, her dress conformed to her shape, and he had to force himself to feel the shame that a man should in like situations; it was all that he could do to keep his jaw from tumbling to the floor. Even Matthieu's incessant complaints seemed to have momentarily paused. Blue eyes, feminine and soft, sought out his own, and it was in the midst of secretive glances that the small performance began.

"I am the daughter of the Pharaoh," she said, introducing herself loudly by announcing her association with her father—something that Seth wished he could forget. The crowd smiled, some turning to acknowledge Gainsley before waiting for the woman to finish. "Born of such feared gods with jackal heads—" the crowd began to chuckle, no doubt being unable to conceive the notion of worshipping a deity with an animal head. Seth didn't personally see the issue; the concept of the Christian deity was just as absurd…but this was not the time to debate with himself of the personal beliefs of aristocrats or Egyptian priests. He had a line coming up soon. "—and cat paws," the white haired woman continued, her hand held to her forehead in a luxuriously dramatic pose. "How might you greet a being of such importance?"

There was a moment of silence before Seth had made his way to the forefront of the group in the room. "On behalf of the Pharaoh," he boomed, forcing the gravely base in his voice to its limit—"We host a feast!"

"A feast!" Those in the crowd, drunk and sober both took the opportunity to toast their glasses to the woman, who was giggling now at the display. Gainsley clapped as he made his way across the marbled floor, and Seth extended a hand to Sara as she stepped further into the room, his heart racing at her touch. He could feel Gainsley watching closely, but he would give him no reason to angst. Once Sara's slippered feet were on the entrance hall floor, he pulled away, retreating to finish the presentation by leading the first dance with another girl from the organizing staff. This girl's name was Azure—strange but unique, and although she was not the woman that he longed for, her demeanor was just as warm. A few shouts and facetious worship to the "Pharaoh and his daughter!" was all that it took to get the others to participate, and by the time that Seth was released from his duties, Sara was an ocean of guests away and on the opposite of the room besides. Surrounded by guests and, of course, suitors.

As he turned to make his way outside to the balcony once more—he hoped to meet his brother there, to talk a bit more business—a shudder across his person stopped him from doing so. When his eyes made their way back to Sara, she was staring. Very unladylike. He nodded, curtly, before turning and heading off nonetheless; he did not move toward the balcony.

The room was dark; there wasn't a single sound. Seth thought to light a candle as he waited, but he dared not. He would prefer if there was no sense of his location at all, even to Matthieu. There was much to think about. He had received another report on his gold mine in the West—his wealth was expanding a bit more quickly than he had planned. It was becoming more difficult by the moment to maintain his anonymity. All too soon it would be time to reveal that he was the head of Kaiser Enterprises and absorb quite a number of aliases. He still required the deeds to a structure that he was outfitting for his business and not all of the other pieces were in place, either. There were still a few contacts that needed to be made secure, and Matthieu needed to be taught how to look over other things…

Time seemed incapable of slowing for him.

There was a crack of light from the door. Despite the entrance being made of wood itself, nothing creaked or made sound—it was all too perfect, he thought. "Seth?" he heard a quiet voice whisper. Even in the pitch black he could see her, bright white hair contrasting against everything that was nature. Nary another word was spoken, and the two embraced; Sara's lips fell onto her love's, and Seth held her the way that he had desired to the moment they had touched during her introduction. "I'm so glad—" she began to say, but Seth's passion would not let her speak.

When the couple parted, there was a heat between them that silently spoke of the blush over their bodies. Seth had never been so breathless in his life, nor did he wish to breathe. And he told her so. Their hands sought each other in the darkness, a small moment that only they would share for now. "Your father will be looking for you," Seth said gently, gifting the crown of her head with a kiss as he held her. "What shall the country do without their goddess, the Pharaoh's daughter?"

She sighed happily, and Seth could feel her breath on his chest through his clothing. He never understood how such a culture could exist, where so few clothes were worn, but he would never say a word of it, as he was thoroughly enjoying the Lady in his arms in the dress that she'd arrived in. "I would much rather be the Dragon from the King Arthur Celebration," she said. Seth chuckled, his chin moving above her head. "Do you remember it? Only a fortnight ago?"

"It was a terrible costume."

"You wore it with pride," she answered. "But perhaps if I'd worn it I'd not have as many suitors."

"I prefer you as the goddess you really are." Their lips found each other's again for minutes upon minutes, and once Seth became sure that he was becoming tempted by this woman in a way that no amount of hidden wealth could make a father forgive, he very slowly pushed away. His back hit a wall, and the tip of something a unpleasantly poked his back, but he kept his composure. "They will notice that you have been spirited away, my Lady," he said, clearing his throat.

"Come with me," Sara said. "My father knows the truth; I am not feeling well."

"And he'll believe the same of me?" Seth said. "We will steal away some other time, Sara."

"No," she said, and he knew that her cheeks must have been as red as tomatoes on her skin. "Please. I do not wish to part."

"Nor do I, but for now it must be done."

"…Seth."

"You are as hard-minded as my own blood," he replied, moving away from her.

Sara's voice sank to a small whisper. "…does a loyal priest leave his goddess?"

The statement caught Seth off guard—he wasn't prepared with a retort. Shaking his head, he made for the door. "These are different circumstances."

"Are they?" she said, moving closer to him. Seth cut her off in the middle of the room, stepping forward so as to not risk anyone seeing their silhouettes in the small window on the door. "Did you not summon a goddess?"

"This isn't a game, Sara—and this is hardly proper," he said, considering the actual logic of it. "No way for…a man to come to know a woman." Pale hands were upon him, and he couldn't help but reach to sweep some strands of white behind her ears; it was always hanging over her eyes unless she pinned it up.

But she ignored him, not addressing his comment. "This goddess," she said, her voice taking on a different tone, no longer quiet or timid, "requires a sacrifice…"

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Edited 6/4/11.

Alright. There are a lot of things that need to be said along with this.

I'm aware that this is a "Priest Set/Kisara" story, but quite frankly, with the urgency presented in the Egyptian arc I didn't feel comfortable writing only a one shot about it. It's something my gut told me. Go figure.

Instead, I dabbled in the prospect of those figures from Egypt being reborn within proximity to each other. There are other characters in here besides Seth (Set) ans Sara (Kisara) respectively, and I do have a bit of letter play going on with a few of the names, but don't worry if you don't get them all. I had to do a lot of thinking about who really was linked to the past with this, and their personalities. This is an arbitrary incarnation of Seto/Set, and I think it's one that meets in the middle. His life wasn't more like Egyptian Set or Japanese Seto, so even the basic personalities molded by different experiences and different standards and different times, develop to seem a bit more different than they really are; the same applies to Kisara. I urge you to take a look at this with this fic.

Of course, as it is one of mine, I had to throw some dirty romance in there (sort of). Anyway, good luck to those who have also entered this round ^_^


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